He hasn't proven that, not in my opinion! Even before the injury, I felt that Redman had demonstrated that he could out-produce Mendy at every opportunity - but #1 picks receive many extra chances.

But it's all rendered moot by his negative attributes in the areas of character, work ethic, and good team-member. This isn't a football team that can carry problem children right now - hopefully Tomlin understands how badly we need to rebuild the locker room.

Redman can produce in small bursts, but long-term, he and Dwyer have both proven incapable. Neither of them can be the feature back for longer than 3 games at a time, it seems. Every time one got on a hot streak this year, he started to falter and stopped producing almost entirely.

Am I the only one who doesn't think the Steelers will let their former first round pick Mendenhall just test free agency without having contract talks? I know the last 2 years and his character are in question, but I know that those two 1,000+ yard seasons weren't fluke years, especially when our line sucked back then even worse. So I expect the Steelers to bring Mendenhall back for 2-3 years at a moderate price because that's all he's worth.

1000-yard seasons mean nothing in a 16-game schedule. Mendenhall isn't going to sign for less money. I really hope they let him go. I don't want to watch this soft RB on Sunday's any longer.

Meaning they are not difficult to achieve in a 16-game schedule. You think averaging 62.5 yards rushing a game is a huge achievement?

Do you think Mendenhall is going to take less money than his previous contract?

Not that I'm in favor of resigning Spinny, but: yes & yes.

Last year, I would have taken 1,000 yards from one of the Steelers RBs. So, Yes, I think 1,000 yards is a good season.

Spinny knows that he is coming off of two injuries, that RBs are replaceable, that the RB position is a young man's position (26 is old), and that he sat out a game/looks like a "problem child" (whether he actually is or not). So, Yes, I think his new deal (with whomever) will be quite small.

NFL Scouting Combine: Only one running back might be taken in first round

February 27, 2013
By Gerry Dulac / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Former South Carolina running back Marcus Lattimore is aiming to recover from a gruesome knee injury and be one of the top running backs taken in the NFL draft.

INDIANAPOLIS -- While wide receivers were posting blazing times and making coaches double-check their stopwatch, running backs at the NFL Scouting Combine mostly went unnoticed. Big-play backs with speed were not to be found.

And that might end up being a good thing for the Steelers.

One year after three running backs went in the first round and five were among the top 61 picks, the draft this year might only see one running back go in the first round -- Alabama's Eddie Lacy. It's possible only two backs -- Lacy and Wisconsin's Montee Ball -- will be among the top 55.

Rob Rang of CBSSports.com had Lacy and Oklahoma State Joseph Randle as the two most complete backs in the draft, but that was before Randle ran a 4.63 in the 40-yard dash at the combine.

The Steelers likely won't take a running back in the first round, mainly because there aren't many, if any, after Lacy worth taking early. But they should have plenty of options in the middle rounds to draft a running back and help replenish a position where the top three on the depth chart are without a contract.

"I think there's plenty of depth to get a running back in this draft," Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert said.

History shows running backs can be found anywhere. Houston's Arian Foster, the AFC's leading rusher in 2012, was an undrafted free agent. So was Willie Parker, who had back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons with the Steelers.

Washington's Alfred Morris, who finished second in rushing to Adrian Peterson in the NFC this past season, was a sixth-round pick in 2012.

But the Steelers likely won't wait that long to address the position. And there are enough capable backs in the middle rounds who could end up replacing Rashard Mendenhall if the Steelers elect not to re-sign their unrestricted free agent and former No. 1 draft choice.

One of those is former Arkansas running back Knile Davis, who opened eyes at the combine with his combination of size, speed and strength. Davis (6 feet, 227 pounds) was the second-fastest back at the combine, running an official 4.37 in the 40 -- a blazing time for a back that big.

And he was the second-strongest back, too, doing 31 reps of 225 pounds in the bench press.

That combination quickly elevated his stock from a middle-round pick to at least a second-round selection, especially after a disappointing 2012 season with the Razorbacks in which he rushed for just 377 yards. Davis did not play in 2011 because of a broken ankle.

Just like that, Davis created some buzz for the running back spot.

"I think the thing that sets me apart is the size, speed, agility combination," Davis said. "I think that is a rare combination that you just don't find every year.

"The guy I really compare myself to would be more of an Arian Foster, an Adrian Peterson. Arian Foster with the zone running. I'm really good at running the zone. And just the size and speed of Adrian Peterson."

If the Steelers are to incorporate more zone schemes in their running game in 2013, they need to find a running back to fit that style.

Davis convinced NFL coaches and general managers he has recovered from his injury. Former South Carolina running back Marcus Lattimore is hoping to do the same after a gruesome knee injury ended his 2012 season.

Lattimore (6-0, 218) tore the anterior cruciate, posterior cruciate and medial collateral ligaments in his right knee Oct. 27, requiring 2 1/2 hours of surgery. He likely would have been a first-round pick without the injury.

But his surgeon, Dr. James Andrews, said Lattimore is three months ahead of schedule and has added 20 pounds of muscle during his rehabilitation.

And Lattimore said he is determined to be ready to play in an NFL season opener in September, inspired by other running backs such as Peterson, Frank Gore and Willis McGahee who returned from similar injuries.

He said the doctors who examined him at the combine "will be shocked" at his recovery, especially after such extensive damage. Nonetheless, teams would be taking a chance on Lattimore because they won't get to see him do any kind of workout until after the draft.

"At this point, it really doesn't matter where I get drafted, because I'm going to go in there and work hard,"

Lattimore said. "I'm going to do what I do. I'm going to do what I've been doing my whole career, and that's just be myself.

"If I get a chance to play this year, I'm going to make the most out of it. And I feel like I will."

Knile Davis, Stepfan Taylor, Ray Graham and Montee Ball will all be sitting there in the fourth round should we choose to go that way. The Steelers have shown interest in Ball so I think that he's definitely on their radar. I'm also going out on a limb and saying that if the right guy is there, we're drafting two Running Backs. Whatever the hell our RB situation was last year was unacceptable and drafting two RBs shows that it won't be tolerated.